Anyone who has ever assembled a children’s toy in the wee hours before Christmas can relate to the daunting task of unpacking and assembling 175 bicycles in preparation for the big day. That’s the bittersweet challenge that recently confronted Hope & A Future, a nonprofit organization that serves abused and neglected children in the Arizona foster care system. After receiving 175 new, donated bicycles to give as Christmas gifts, Hope & A Future’s staff faced an intimidating stack of boxes containing thousands of tiny parts and instructions. That’s where the Sundt Foundation loaned a few helping hands (more like 20) to get the job done.
“The Sundt Foundation has supported A Hope & A Future in the past, so when we received a call to help them assemble the bikes, we were glad to assist,” said Sundt employee-owner and Foundation board member Andrew Apostolik. “On a recent Friday evening after work, several Sundt employees, along with a few family members and friends, completed all 175 bikes in less than two hours. A sharp-eyed quality control team made sure that every bolt was tight and the bikes were ready for the kids to enjoy a safe riding experience!”
The Sundt Foundation was established in 1999 by Sundt Construction, Inc., as a way for its employee-owners to give back to the communities in which they work. In addition to funding grants every quarter, the Foundation also sponsors volunteer activities to benefit nonprofit organizations. The grant money comes primarily from contributions made by Sundt employees, which are matched dollar-for-dollar by the company.
Since its inception the Foundation has made grants totaling nearly $6 million to hundreds of worthy organizations. Approximately 75 percent of the money goes to help disadvantaged children, with the remaining 25 percent dedicated to community issues. Employees can also earmark their donations for charitable organizations that benefit members of the military and their families.